Diver&#39;s helmet for welding and burning



Aug. 8, 1950 G..H. RUHL 2,517,600

DIVERS HELMET FOR WELDING AND BURNING Filed July 30, 1945 GEORGE H. RUHL Patented Aug. 8, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT riEtmzi r wnLnmo AND t BUR G George Henry Buhl, United States Navy Application ul so, 1945, s ns 607,395

comin (01. 2--s (Granted..1f1nder ..the act of March 3, 1883, as a aean rnco, 1928; 37010. G. 757) 1 This. invention relates to divers. helmets equipped with a supplementary faceplate to be used during underwater welding and burning per t ns 1 l More particularly this invention is directed to the use of a supplementary faceplate, usually with a colored lens, so mounted on the helmet relative to the lensed portsthat it will not obstruct the vision of the diver in any way, nor will the lifeline or air hose become caught on it. The supplementary faceplate is readily attached to a standard helmet andcan be moved to raised or lowered position at the will of the diver. Fric tional means are provided in order that the faceplateonce raised by the diver will not fall or.

drop'into lowered position withoutuse of an external force being applied, as bythe divers hand.

The improved supplementary faceplate, when in closed position permits substantially full vision through the front port lens and in open position does not materially obstruct vision through any port lens. Prior to my invention it was a practice to provide a supplementary faceplate pivoted at the side of the front port. This faceplate was provided with a latch means for securing it in closed position. The plate had a rectangular cut-out portion over which the welding lens was secured with the result that the divers vision was materially obstructed during use. In this prior arrangement there is no control of the parts when in unlatched position and they are liable to swing about the pivot, obscure the divers vision, and become caught in the life line or air hose. These features are not only inconvenient, but are dangerous and are all eliminated by my improved device.

According to the present improvements a conventional circular front port plate with an inset lens carries a bracket across the top of the forwardly projecting frame portion. The bracket may conform to the curvation of the frame and is turned forwardly at its extremities to provide a support for horizontal pivots about which hinges connected to the supplementary faceplate may be moved. The pivots may be bolts projecting through holes in the turned-out ends of the brackets and may have a nut and lock washer. The lock washers are of the split spring type and will produce sufficient friction on the hinges so that the hinges and hence the faceplate will be moved by hand and only to the extent desired by the diver. The lens of the supplementary faceplate is usually reinforced by brass rods across its face and a brass loop is provided for grasping by the diver when he wishes to move the member.

. 2 p j I t It will be noted that with these improvedarrangements that full vision is permitted through all ports under all conditions and that thereis no uncontrolled movement and hence no danger of becoming entangled with the divers lines.

The present improvements also contemplate it means other than a lock washer for producing the necessary frictional or other resistance to; movement. It is to be noted that the position .of j the pivots for the hinges and the relation of the hinges to the lens support is such that little or no obstruction of the top front port is caused when the supplementaryfaceplate is in wide open positions. t t

An object of this invention is to provide a divers helmet with a supplementary faceplate which is frictionally resistant to movement about a pivot.

Another object is to provide a divers helmet with supplementary faceplate pivoted in such a manner that it will not interfere with the divers vision when in open position and will also give substantially full vision when in closed position.

Another object is to provide a horizontal pivot. or pivots about which the supplementary divers faceplate may be moved.

These and other objects of invention will be manifest from a consideration of the description claims and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a divers helmet with side ports, a top front port, a front port and supplementary faceplate in open position, and

Fig. 2 shows the front faceplate with supplementary faceplate attached in closed position.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a divers helmet l9 having conventional lensed side ports and top front ports I I, I2 and I3 respectively. A front port closure M pivoted at I5 is locked at its bifurcation it by stud I! and wing nut la in a known manner.

The front port closure has an inset lens I9 in the frame 20 and a supplementar faceplate 2| covers the inset lens for underwater burning or welding operations. This faceplate assembly consists of a full view brass ring 22 joined to hinges or arms 23 by studs 24 and nuts 25. A welding lens 26 is secured in position by clips 21 and screws 28. A rubber tape (not shown) is positioned between the clips and lens to provide a cushion for the lens. If desired a brass wire lens guard 29 may be brazed to the ring 22 as shown. A loop 30 also brazed to the ring 22 provides a handle for the diver.

Bracket 3! is fastened to the frame of the front port closure as by screws 32 and is turned out at its ends to provide supporting extensions for bolts 33 and 34. The bolts pass through holes in the bracket extensions and carry split lock washers 35, 36 with their sharp edges dressed and adjusting nuts 31 and 38. By adjusting the nuts 31 and 38 the supplementary faceplate can be turned against the friction of the lock washers but will not swing down of its own weight. This is an important safet feature of the present improvements as is the vertical action of the welding face? plate. The lock washers 34, 35 are compact, effective and efl'icient restraining means and are devoid of objectionable projections. These improvements in their broadest concept contemplate the use of other restraining means including means removed from and independent of the pivot or hinge and restraining free movement in the wide open position. The prior art as exemplified by supplemental faceplates which rotate in a horizontal plane either obstruct the vision of the diver through one side of the front port or partially cover a side port.

The bow bracket 3| and other metallic parts are preferably brass to resist corrosive action of salt andfresh water and the pivots and hinges are so positioned as to give the fullest possible vision.

The invention herein described and claimed may by manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having described my invention in a preferred embodiment, I do not wish to be limited thereby, but only by the scope of the attached claims:

1. In a divers helmet, a front port, a hinged front port closure with an inset lens, a detachably and adjustably secured supplementary faceplate 4 assembly for the front port, a bracket on the front port closure for the supplementary faceplate assembly, horizontal pivots on said bracket, hinges for the supplementary faceplate assembly rotatably mounted on said pivots and means bearing on the hinges to resist free turning of the hinges about the pivot points.

2. In a divers helmet having two opposed side ports and a top front port all provided with lenses,

a front port, a front port closure, including a lens, hingedly attached to said helmet for pivotal movement thereon, a detachably and adjustably secured supplementary faceplate assembly for the front port, said faceplate assembly including a lens supporting structure, a bracket near the top of the front port, horizontally positioned pivot means in said bracket, a pair of hinges rotatably mounted on said pivot means, said pair of hinges being fixed to the lens supporting structure of the supplementary faceplate, means frictionally re sistant to movement of said pair of hinges about said pivot means and a projection on the lens 1 supporting structure of the supplementary faceplate for manually moving it about said pivot means.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the GEORGE HENRY RUHL. Q 

